Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 June 1885 — Normandy. [ARTICLE]

Normandy.

Ancient Normandy occupied the northwest part of France, bounded north and west by the waters of the English Channel. It received the name Normandy in the tenth century from the Northmen who had occupied the country. Charles the Simple, King of France, in 912 sanctioned their conquest of the province, and gave their chief, Kollo, the title of Duke of Normandy. The new duchy soon came* to be one of the most prosperous provinces of France. It was a level, fertile country, producing grain, tiax, and fruit in abundance, and an excellent breed of horses, and with a number of bays and rivers abounding in fish. These characteristics it still possesses, and it is to-day as it was 809 years ago, one of the garden spots of France. The beautiful garden was often laid waste, however, by the struggles of rival countries to possess it. The son of Robert the Devil, the sixth successor from the first Duke Kollo, became in 1066 the conqueror and first Norman King of England. On his death, England and Normandy were separated, William’s eldest son, Robert, taking the latter country, and his second son, William Rufus, the former. Henry 1., the next King of England, ruled over both countries, but his daughter Matilda was only Duchess of Normandy. Henry 11. united the two again, and the union lasted till the time of King John, who was forced to forfeit Normandy to France. It was twice held again by the English, first under Edward 111. and again under Henrys W. and YL Charles VIL of France finally rescued the province, and from his time it has been an integral part >of France. The title -of Duke of Normandy has since then been occasionally used, but the province was divided in 1790 into five departments, and is now separately known only by tlte names of these departments.— lnter Ocean.